Clinic will accept up to half of YK Merle Norman gift cards

The YZF Cosmetic and Laser Clinic says it will honour half the value of gift cards issued by Yellowknife’s Merle Norman spa before it went under.

Customers who purchased Merle Norman gift cards had expressed frustration when, weeks later, the store permanently closed, citing circumstances beyond its control.

Consumer experts said there would be little customers could do, short of taking the spa’s owner to court, to recover the value of the gift cards.

However, on Monday afternoon, Patrick Hibbitts – a co-founder of the YZF Cosmetic and Laser Clinic – told Cabin Radio his business was “offering to honour some of the value of the gift cards.”

In a video posted to Facebook on Monday afternoon, clinic medical director Erin Hibbitts says: “We were really sorry to hear about the closing of Merle Norman.

“We wanted to provide the opportunity for you to be able to use half the value of any gift certificates you had, that you haven’t had the chance to use at Merle Norman, for any of the products and services that we offer.”

Hibbitts said customers wishing to use their Merle Norman gift cards at YZF Cosmetic and Laser Clinic will have until the end of October to get in touch.

The city’s Merle Norman spa closed abruptly at the end of August. Owner Sasha Jason did not respond to a request for comment from Cabin Radio last week, but customers have reported receiving messages from Jason indicating the business is unable to refund or honour gift card purchases.